Even though the RGB LEDs are well established in the market, the white LEDs are still in the growth phase. The reason is that quite a few industries are depending on white, non LED lighting such as televisions, automotive manufacturers, computer monitors, notebook computers, LCD backlights, etc. which makes the white LED manufacturing industry a competitive one. Surprisingly, businesses will let go of the opportunity to generate revenue by converting home or businesses to LED lighting. Replacement white LED bulbs and retrofits don’t need to top your shopping list just because they are flooding the market. All that matters is developing high efficiency, high brightness white LEDs and make the market for colored and color-changing LEDs robust and mature.

While considering colored LEDs and white LEDs, the main industry is that of automotive. RGB LEDs are similar to the internal combustion engine, reliable, abundant easy to use and manufacture and well developed having potential for better and new technologies. With a wide number of manufacturers having patents and knowing the tricks of the trade, so that they get marketing leverage over the competition. For transportation the LED lights are the alternative energy industry. It is an industry that is quite varied, new, needing to prove market strength, expensive, and challenging to manage.

The manufacturers make use of different technology or a combination of technologies to create what is said to be the big thing of the century. RGB LEDs are competitive not only on cost but the drop in costs makes new applications for colored LEDs not thought about earlier. On the other hand, white LEDs are still in the development phase and needed to be acknowledged not based on cost alone. Quality and longevity are the main factors that make further research and development into white LEDs promising.

The things to be taken care of while shifting to LED lighting

A quick and easy transition to LEDs is impossible, as there are so many variables to be considered. Considering the lighting source and the primary purpose of each room is the first step towards a good LED lighting. The next step is to determine the priority purchase – list of all the replacement. Below are a few guidelines that may help you to determine an LED upgrade suited to your demands.

• Are you lighting up a home for the older resident with mobility issues?

LED alternatives are perfect for homes with older persons as the frequent changing of the bulbs can be avoided.

• How much does the initial cost determine whether you need an upgrade?

Compared to traditional lighting, the white LEDs are priced higher. Switching to them can cost you if you are an early adopter and make you wait a little bit longer.

• Locating the light in bright daytime sunlight or an area of heat can mean a lot.

The lifespan of LED can be shortened with exposure to high levels of heat. This makes the fixture of the lights an important factor. Ensure passive cooling to avoid color shift and longevity issues. This becomes a big concern with retrofit bulbs, versus a total package LED fixture and lamp.

• Do you need to reduce the heat output from a traditional light source?

Conventional lighting produces heat in laundry rooms and small spaces. LED lightings to make this an easy task as they produce no heat and illuminating them is no more a challenge.

• Is the light located in areas of environmental extremes or rough atmosphere?

If the lighting is in garage door openers, utility rooms, and outdoor workshops, the lighting will be on high demand for making the situation bleak. The vibrations could make filaments to break or fluorescent tubes to flicker. But now there is nothing to worry about while using an LED, as these problems are made up for it.

• Is LED brightness critical to the application?

LED is directional making it inefficient for standard fluorescent tubes or high bay lighting. It does not meet the brightness expectation over a wide area.

• Trying to retrofit an existing lighting fixture

Conventional fixtures capture and reflect as much light as possible, producing light from all 360 degrees. LEDs being directional, the quality is being compromised to make it work for any number of retrofits. Consider a total package of LED fixtures to ensure the efficient use of LED lighting.

The LED lighting is set to continue improving both output and efficiency similar to the computer market. The latest middle of the road LED which was considered to be very inefficient has evolved to a premium product now. As technology improves, a comfortable transition to tomorrow’s lighting technology is inevitable